Inter-American
Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women, 1438 U.N.T.S. 63, entered
into force March 17, 1949.

The governments represented
at the Ninth International Conference of American States,

Considering:

That the majority of the
American Republics, inspired by lofty principles of justice, have
granted political rights to women;

That it has been a constant
aspiration of the American community of nations to equalize the status
for men and women in the enjoyment and exercise of political rights;

That Resolution XX of
the Eighth International Conference of American States expressly declares:

"That women have
the right to political treatment on the basis of equality with men";

That long before the women
of America demanded their rights they were able to carry out nobly
all their responsibilities side by side with men;

That the principle of
equality of human rights for men and women is contained in the Charter
of the United Nations,

Have Resolved:

To authorize their respective
Representatives, whose Full Powers have been found to be in good and
due form, to sign the following articles:

Article 1. The High Contracting
Parties agree that the right to vote and to be elected to national
office shall not be denied or abridged by reason of sex.

Article 2. The present
Convention shall be open for signature by the American States and
shall be ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional
procedures. The original instrument, the Spanish, English, Portuguese
and French texts of which are equally authentic, shall be deposited
with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States,
which shall transmit certified copies to the Governments for the purpose
of ratification. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited
with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States,
which shall notify the signatory governments of the said deposit.
Such notification shall serve as an exchange of ratifications.